Bread Crumbs

Kelly Michelle Thomas
Mar 26
3 min read

Updated: Mar 30

Name Pronunciation: Kaldi [call•de]

There was a man named Kaldi

He worked in retail,

making the average income of many Americans

I went on a date with him

Our first and last

We were seated near the back

right across from the big window

so you could see all the people and traffic

There were still bread crumbs left

The waiter, his name was Ben, says:

“So sorry allow me to get that”

Kaldi replies:

“Should of been clean before we got here”

I look at him with disapprovement

I order the shrimp pasta

along with a glass of moscato

I like sweet things

Kaldi orders the ribeye steak

He gets it well done—a terrible waste

He doesn’t know how to savor the flavor

of things

During the brief introductions

and slight innuendos

I comment out loud:

“I could use more napkins.”

Kaldi snaps his fingers at Ben

My eyes narrow with discontent

“Do not snap your fingers,

he’s doing the best he can”

Kaldi glares at me as if I should know better

than to address such a matter to a man

To him, I am a woman who should be silent

and not speak my mind

To me, he is a man who talks too much

and has no class, yet full of pride

During the brief conversations

and more innuendos

She appeared outside—

the homeless woman in front of the big window

She has the face of experience

and wrinkles of the wise

She holds bread crumbs

while pigeons flock to her side

A smile expands on her face

as she feeds them

Her smile then becomes mine

Knowing she still finds joy in this world

Even when many would not want her life

Based on this one particular moment in time

Kaldi shakes his head and ignores her

“This is why I can’t wait to be rich,

I don’t ever want to end up like that.”

Kaldi double points with his thumb,

eyes still fixated on his half eaten steak

I fold my arms on the table

I say nothing

❧

If you look at someone and don’t say a word

they’ll start explaining themselves

more than they should—

and if you let them talk, you’ll figure them out

like pulling that one thread on an afghan

and it unravels all the way around

❧

Kaldi drops his fork down with an echoing clank!

His mouth is full with bits of that well-done steak

He’s having a hard time chewing

With no proper etiquette and a muffled tongue,

He parts his lips and words spew out:

“The rich they have no worries, all they do

is bask in their big homes and luxuries

They sip on the finest of chardonnays,

have their homes tended to by chefs and maids

They can buy what they want

I have to work like a slave and a dog

I’m tired of not experiencing luxuries

I deserve to be among the rich and wealthy!”

Although there may be some truth

to what Kaldi has told

He seems to have forgotten about the homeless woman

in front of the big window

For him to utter such complaints of his life

and speak on not experiencing the finest of things

while eating a well-done steak with a fine young lady

To be dressed in a fine tailored suit

In a fancy restaurant where Ben serves our food

He forgets that this too is a luxury

❧

When you shower your life with love

the wonders of the world are sure to reward

‘cause if one doesn’t appreciate what they have now

why would they blessed with more?

❧

Kaldi is a man that will never be rich

and a woman should never give herself to a man like this

A man who does not appreciate

the small joys of his life

will not know what to do when he has you by his side

Ben walks overs hand cupped over one another

and a smile that says he’s eager to please:

“Is there anything else I can get you?”

I interrupt Kaldi before he could speak:

“No thank you Ben,

just the check please

I’m ready to end this date and leave”